Feathered Family Finds an Eggs-cellent Nesting Spot on Hale Terrace
While babies are born every day at the Brigham, a family of Canada geese took that to a whole new level — the outdoor terrace of the Hale Building for Transformative Medicine, to be precise.
May 26, 2021
Eappen Reflects on First Three Months as Interim President
When he joined the Brigham as an anesthesiology resident, Sunil “Sunny” Eappen, MD, MBA, felt he had found his community — one full of people who led with compassion, empathy and heart.
May 21, 2021
New Indoor Entrance Unveiled for Patients and Visitors at 75 Francis St.
A new entrance at 75 Francis St., which opened May 12, provides an indoor area for patients and visitors to begin the process for check-in, symptom screening and masking before being directed to their destination in the hospital.
May 18, 2021
Novel Heart Procedure Prevents Young Patient’s Debilitating Fainting Episodes
Nursing student Abby McGillivray, 20, remembers getting fitted for her prom dress in high school when she was struck by one of her first fainting spells. It was unexpected, but she figured it was a fluke — nothing to seriously worry about. Then her episodes started to get worse.
May 12, 2021
In Memoriam: Mirana Varfi, Shapiro 9/10
Brigham and Women’s Hospital mourns the loss of Mirana Varfi, unit coordinator for Shapiro 9/10, who died on April 29 after an illness. She was 44.
May 14, 2021
Staff Share Messages About Gratitude and Self-Care Through New, Interactive Display
A new, interactive exhibit on the Pike highlights the importance of employee wellness by inviting Brigham staff to express what they’re grateful for and share ways they practice self-care.
May 12, 2021
‘I Don’t Think I Could Have Learned More’: Social Work Interns Navigate New Training Landscape
Eight graduate students who made up the Brigham’s first class of Social Work interns after the pandemic’s initial surge, completing their program on April 30.
May 10, 2021
New COVID Recovery Center Seeks to Support ‘Long-Hauler’ Patients with Lingering Symptoms
There were so many things Monique Vaughan, 31, used to do without a second thought. All of that changed after Vaughan tested positive for COVID-19 over one year ago. Long after recovering from the initial infection, she continues to live with a variety of lingering symptoms that have significantly affected her quality of life.
May 6, 2021
Brigham Community Responds to Crisis in India
Moved by reports of the rapidly deteriorating situation on the ground, several members of the Brigham community have mobilized to support the international response.
May 6, 2021
A Mother’s Day to Remember: After Heartbreaking Losses, a Couple Treasures Their Sweetest Gift — Family
It’s hard to imagine a mom who cherishes Mother’s Day more than Alex Lieto, 34, of Portsmouth, N.H. She still gets choked up remembering what it was like to hold her firstborn, Faith, now 2 and a half.
May 6, 2021
Lights, Camera, STRATUS! Hollywood Crew Captures Brigham’s Simulated Spacecraft
The simulated spacecraft medical bay in the Neil and Elise Wallace STRATUS Center got ready for its big-screen debut as a Hollywood production crew visited to film the environment for NASA training videos on April 27.
May 3, 2021
Health Care Leaders Call for Climate Action, Sustainability in Clinical Practice
The climate is warming due to human activity, and from the perspective of Brigham primary care physician Gregg Furie, MD, the hospital’s renewed focus on addressing the implications of climate change for health care could not come at a more critical time.
April 29, 2021
NICU OT Ensures the Brigham’s Littlest Patients Are Prepared for Long-Term Success
Jessica Pacheco, who joined the Brigham in October 2019, is the only OT for the NICU and Follow-Up Program, where she collaborates with a multidisciplinary team to promote optimal sensory and motor development in premature and medically complex babies in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
April 27, 2021
Remembrance Ceremony, Hearts on the Bridge Display Bring Together Brigham Community to Reflect and Look Forward
After spending several days on high-flow oxygen and still struggling to breathe, a patient with COVID-19 being cared for in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) turned to his nurse, Jessica Thompson, BSN, RN. He had hoped to avoid the need for intubation, but the time for an intervention had come. “I can’t do this anymore,” he told her.
April 22, 2021
Violence Recovery Program Helps Support Survivors, Families Affected by Gun Violence
Gun violence and community violence are among the most tragic injuries Scott Weiner, MD, MPH, says he witnesses on a regular basis as a physician in the Emergency Department. “It’s just heartbreaking,” he said.
April 20, 2021
Comprehensive Care Center for Multiples Focuses on ‘Making Moms the Centerpiece of Care’
Launched in December, the Center for Multiples specializes in caring for pregnant women carrying two or more babies, including those that are at higher risk of complications.
April 14, 2021
In Memoriam: Francisco Marty, MD, Division of Infectious Diseases
The Brigham community mourns the loss of Francisco Marty, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases, who died April 8 after a tragic accident while hiking in the Dominican Republic. He was 53.
April 13, 2021
Hitting the Right Note: Emergency Department Staff Turn Pandemic Reflections into Song
Bruising from N95 respirators, feelings of isolation and uncertainty about when normalcy will return — these are just a few of the images, memories and themes that came to mind for a group of Emergency Department staff when asked to reflect on their experiences over the past year as part of a novel music therapy project that transforms front-line staff’s personal reflections into lyrics and song.
April 13, 2021
Women Leaders at the Brigham Discuss Balancing Careers, Family and Complex Identities
When reflecting on the complex balancing act that women in the workplace must often navigate, Zara Cooper, MD, MSc, FACS, Kessler director of the Center for Surgery and Public Health, finds comfort in a quote from Orpah Winfrey: “You can have it all. You just can’t have it all at one time.”
April 5, 2021
What Changed Your Mind? Previously Reluctant Staff Reflect on Decision to Get Vaccinated
Paulette Cooper, a patient care associate (PCA) on Braunwald Tower 8AB, was alarmed by what she was reading and hearing about the COVID-19 vaccine on social media and in the news this past winter.
March 31, 2021
Photo Gallery: Bringing COVID-19 Vaccines Closer to the Community
Teams from the Brigham and the Roxbury Tenants of Harvard Association (RTH) joined forces to administer nearly 800 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to RTH residents and staff over two days.
March 31, 2021
Department of Nursing Launches Resiliency Podcast Series
The eight-episode series, hosted by Maddy Pearson, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, senior vice president of Clinical Services and chief nursing officer, features conversations with Brigham clinical nurses and interprofessional colleagues who share their expertise and experiences.
March 25, 2021
A Match Day Homecoming: Former Brigham Nurse to Return as Medical Resident
As a child, Samantha Cothias, RN, spent car rides to school pestering her father, a nurse, with questions about the human body: “What is cancer?” she recalls asking. “How does the heart work?”
March 23, 2021
After Pandemic Postpones Wedding Plans, Brigham Mammographer Wins Her Happily Ever After
After having to reschedule their wedding three times due to the coronavirus pandemic, Brigham mammographer Michele Umbro, BS, RT, and her fiancé, Jack Giordano, were beginning to wonder when they would ever have an opportunity to celebrate their nuptials.
March 24, 2021
NICU Staff Organize Precious ‘Prom Night’ Party for Babies and Families
Before the pomp and circumstance of graduation come the festivities of prom night — and with it an opportunity to celebrate an important milestone in style. On the eve of their graduation from the Brigham’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), three infants and their families did just that in the most adorable fashion.
March 23, 2021